GAME REPORT

A late intervention and some deadly three-point shooting by French national team star Celine Dumerc allowed Bourges Basket to claim a narrow 66-63 EuroLeague Women Group A success against Tarsus Belediye.

The losing side will be feeling frustrated and disappointed they couldn't take a victory on French soil, since they held healthy leads for long periods of the game, but just couldn't get the job done when it mattered down the stretch.

Despite the loss of Amaya Valdemoro who left during the winter break, Tarsus played well during the first half and went 26-17 ahead after Dila Askin converted a triple.

Still leading 36-28 shortly after the interval, Tarsus were well placed, but Dumerc found her range from downtown and fired back-to-back triples to get the home side within a point.

Moments later, she scored at the basket to put Bourges ahead and they remained there during the last quarter, when teenage center Christelle Diallo stepped into the game to put her team 55-49 to the good.

Ahead by six points with three minutes remaining, Bourges then suffered a real wobble and left the door ajar for Tarsus who made the most of their opportunity to get back into the game by pulling level via a Melisa Can free throw, after five points in a row from Shay Doron.

But, Dumerc wasn't to be denied and she sunk another three-pointer as well as a pair of free throws to get her team over the finishing line.

She had 17 points whilst Diallo claimed her highest score in the competition with a modest but hugely important and efficient eight points.

COACH QUOTES

Bourges head coach Valerie Garnier:"It was not a good game, lots of turnovers, a bad first half, but then the team started to defend better and to play well. Caps' [Celine Dumerc] is bringing her talent, but also other players helped the team like Emeline Ndongue with 15 points. But it's sure that it was tricky against Tarsus, especially after the Christmas break and missing some key players."

Bourges player Celine Dumerc:"The game was very difficult and hard; it's always complicated to play a Turkish team and even more so when you have [DeLisha] Milton-Jones against you. It's the first game after the Christmas break and without some players, so the first half was not so good, but during the second half we were back in the game focused on the objective: to win! We played better defense. It was important against Tarsus and their very good shooters. The name Bourges Basket doesn't guarantee the result, and as a team we try to take each game one by one to bring each time a victory to our fans."